NSW Systemic Advocacy for the reform agenda 

With governments considering their responses to the Disability Royal Commission and NDIS review, Philip Petrie, Chair of NSW Divisional Committee, and I have been out advocating on your behalf. We have shared the worrying data in the State of the Disability Sector 2023 report and identified opportunities for the NSW Government. With our close ties to members, NDS is well placed to support and inform the next reform steps in NSW. In recent weeks, we have met Minister Kate Washington, Parliamentary Secretary Liesl Tesch, and the Shadow Minister Natasha McLaren-Jones.  

On 5 March, federal state and territory governments announced their commitment to the NDIS reform process and their formal response will be given by mid-year. We will keep talking to the NSW Government on reform.   

Among our recent advocacy was our submission to the 2024–25 NSW budget. We focused on five actions that NSW government can take now to improve the operating environment for disability service providers and ensure quality, sustainable services for people with disability. The NSW Divisional Committee met Robert Fitzgerald, the NSW Ageing and Disability Commissioner, in February. Among other issues, we heard about   the  ways in which the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and Official Community Visitors are working together.  

We have also been hard at work making submissions to various NSW inquiries: 

Submissions have closed for all these and our submissions will be published by the inquires in due course.  

PACE issues continue to badly affect providers. Both at a state and national level, we are passing on your issues and complaints to the NDIA. In the meantime, the NDIA are still holding online information sessions on PACE  which you can register for through their events page or Humanitix.   

Also, from your responses at NDS webinars, we have published NDIA responses to frequently asked questions on PACE.  

NSW events 

Regional workshops 

Keen to talk to providers across NSW, we are planning a series of regional workshops to explore your challenges and opportunities. The workshops will be in Port Macquarie, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Western Sydney and Maitland. And there will be an online forum for outer regional and remote service providers. We are inviting a broad provider base and with representation from aged care, health, council and from people with disability. If you wish to attend one of these events, you can secure your place by contacting Paula: paula.firmstone@nds.org.au. 

Free workshops on supported decision making 

For families and friends of people with intellectual disability, there are some free online workshops coming up on supported decision making. You can register for the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability’s (CID) My Rights Matter workshops on 10 April and 13 May on the CID event page.   

If you are an organisation or group of families that would like CID to bring this workshop to you, please contact sdm@cid.org.au or 1800 424 065. 

Link to WHS webinars

Workplace Health and Safety Webinar series.  

NDS in NSW has been holding a series of webinars for providers on workplace health and safety. The next webinar on 10 April covers making workers compensation claims.
Register on our event page  

NSW Quality Network 

The New South Wales Quality network is an NDS member-exclusive network focused on quality in the disability sector. It is a forum for ideas, a great source of information and an opportunity to network with others that have similar focus and interests.
The next meeting on 3 April is taking registrations on our event page.  

It was great to see so many members based in southern NSW attending the ACT Hot Topics Breakfast on 6 March. Look out for the Sydney NSW Hot Topics Event in July, where you will hear from  NSW Minister for Disability Inclusion, the Hon. Kate Washington and NDS CEO Laurie Leigh.    

For more information, questions or comments, please contact me.